The present invention relates generally to a novel muffler and method of installing the same in a vehicle exhaust system. More particularly, this invention concerns the use of a "universal" or standardized muffler and method for installing the same in a wide variety of vehicles without the necessity of utilizing tubular extensions or adapters to install the muffler.
In the past, it has been a common practice to replace worn mufflers in automotive vehicles with an exact replacement part provided by the manufacturer of the vehicle. Whereas this provided the owner of the vehicle with a product having known characteristics and a known life expectancy, many owners were unable to obtain satisfactory service from automobile dealers performing the muffler replacement. In many cases, automobile dealers may not be convenient to a vehicle owner or may be understaffed in relation to the business demand imposed by muffler replacements or may be too costly.
As a result, there developed a need for muffler replacement service facilities operated independently of automobile dealers. These independent muffler organizations would stock replacement mufflers for a very large proportion of vehicles sold in the United States and abroad. However, in order for such organizations to provide satisfactory service, an extensive inventory was required which resulted in a significant expense to the owner or operator of such facilities.
As a result, attempts have been made in the prior art to provide a single "universal" muffler capable of being installed satisfactorily in a wide variety of vehicles or vehicle types. However, because such a variety of muffler geometries exists in vehicles, even among vehicles produced by the same manufacturer, some tailoring of even a "universal" replacement muffler generally is required.
Typically, mufflers utilized in the exhaust system of most automotive vehicles are supported by means of connection with an exhaust pipe and a tail pipe in such a manner to isolate the muffler from contact with any other portion of the vehicle. The exhaust pipe and the tail pipe of the exhaust system are secured to struts or frame members of the vehicle in a conventional manner.
In order to replace a worn muffler, it is conventional practice to uncouple the connection of the muffler with the exhaust pipe and the tail pipe so as not to damage the exhaust pipe or tail pipe and to install a muffler having substantially the same geometry as the worn muffler. Of course, sometimes the exhaust pipe or tail pipe may be damaged in the vicinity of the muffler and may require either replacement or a cutting away of the damaged portion. To accommodate variations in geometry, extension members are utilized to span the distance between inlet and outlet tubes of the muffler and the exhaust pipe or tail pipe of the vehicle.
In some known prior art arrangements, the muffler geometry is deliberately designed not to span the gap between the facing end of the exhaust pipe and the facing end of the tail pipe. In such arrangements, an extension member is required at both ports of the muffler for coupling to the vehicle pipes. Typically, one clamp is required to securely fasten a first extension member to the facing end of an exhaust pipe, and a second clamp is required to secure the inlet of the muffler to the extension. Similarly, a third clamp is required to couple a second extension to the tail pipe, and a fourth clamp is required to secure the outlet of the muffler to the second extension. With this arrangement, one muffler design might accommodate a wide variety of vehicle types so long as extensions or adapters and clamps were secured to accommodate the distance between the facing ends of the exhaust pipe and the tail pipe.
However, with this prior art arrangement, four separate seams are provided, all of which provide points of possible failure in the exhaust system. For example, a failure of any of the four clamps might render the exhaust system ineffective. These clamps may be the source of rust which may seriously reduce the life of the exhaust system. Moreover, it is a relatively expensive operation to custom fit two extensions for every muffler installed. In many instances, these extensions may also couple an exhaust pipe having one diameter to a muffler inlet having another diameter, and a coupling may be required between the muffler outlet and a tail pipe having a yet different diameter. Such extensive custom tailoring results in increased labor costs which are passed along to the owner of the vehicle.
In any event, it has been found to be quite expensive, time consuming and cumbersome to provide four clamps and to stock a variety of adapter pipes to couple the known universal mufflers to existing exhaust systems.
There have been some attempts to obviate the problem of maintaining a large inventory of couplings or adapters to couple replacement mufflers to existing exhaust systems. For example, mufflers utilizing inlet and outlet pipes having telescopic members extensible to couple together with the exhaust pipes and tail pipes of vehicles have been proposed. However, such devices still require the use of four separate clamps as discussed above and demonstrate a susceptibility to failure.
Attempts have also been made to alter the diameter of inlet and outlet tubes on conventional mufflers in order to fit such tubes together with pipes having a significantly different size diameter. However, such conventional mufflers have inlet and outlet tubes which are too brittle for diameter deformation.
Recognizing the need for an improved muffler and method of installing the same, it would therefore be desirable to provide a universal muffler which may be readily installed with a reduced number of clamps with lower cost and time required for the installation.